Written by Maureen Onyango.
Carolyn Achieng Omollo was born and bred in Kibera, one of Kenya’s largest informal settlements. Despite uncertainties she’s faced throughout her life, she now spends her days doing what she does best – engaging with people and uplifting others.
Building blocks for success
Carolyn is a sales representative at Start Somewhere, a German social enterprise changing the living conditions of vulnerable communities from within. Start Somewhere has developed innovative and affordable building solutions. They are most known for TwistBlocks, a flexible, reusable, cost-effective and fire-safe construction system for buildings in disadvantaged regions like Kibera. A civil engineering graduate from Kenya’s Railways Training Institute, Carolyn has steadily advanced within Start Somewhere since beginning as an intern in 2023.
If you don’t look hard enough, you might miss the sadness behind the bubbly demeanor of Carolyn. Her story has been far from a walk in the park. After completing her primary education, she returned home in pursuit of supporting her mother of seven. She later had to peddle porridge in the neighborhood of Lang’ata to make ends meet, especially living in a home where she could not depend on her mother’s earnings as the breadwinner. But fortune smiled upon her when a neighbor and family friend, who had enrolled her daughter in CFK Africa’s scholarship program, stepped in. Phenish Midigo, having completed her four years of high school, was home for the holidays and encouraged Carolyn to apply for the same scholarship. With determination, Carolyn applied and successfully interviewed at CFK Africa, setting the stage for her future success.
Giving back to the community
As a sales representative, Carolyn moves from office to office among the busy streets of Kibera and the neighborhood of Lang’ata, pitching the use of TwistBlocks for construction to various clients. During these walks, she has discovered a wealth of opportunities that she never had growing up; scholarships, vocational training, and technical courses, which are readily available across the countless offices she visits. However, these opportunities rarely reach the needy community members in Kibera.
Determined to bridge this gap, Carolyn has connected several young people in the community with job opportunities that she comes across and helped vulnerable children register for available scholarships. But her efforts don’t stop there. She diligently follows up with these children and their parents, ensuring they stay in school or succeed in the jobs she referred them to. Additionally, she shares any further training opportunities to enhance their professional skills, making a difference in their lives.
Aspirations for the future
Carolyn enjoys seeing the youth gain the opportunities they need to empower themselves and become aware of their rights. With new expertise in marketing and business from her time at Start Somewhere, she aspires to become a business manager who employs young people from the Kibera community, providing them with a means to earn money and uplift those around them. Her passion extends beyond her personal ambitions; it stands as a testament to how determination and a strong work ethic can transform lives and foster positive relationships in the world.
Her advice to the youth, ‘‘Go out and explore! There is a lot of information about how to improve your life, but you must be willing to ask about it. Information is empowering. You must be ready to be the change you want to see in your home.’’
Carolyn’s journey from a CFK Africa scholarship beneficiary to a passionate community change-maker exemplifies the power of opportunity and the impact of giving back. With her work at Start Somewhere, she is not only building up the living conditions in Kibera, she is also building future youth leaders.
